


Little Talks

by theonewhohums



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: F/M, Late Night Conversations, Love Confessions, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 09:50:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8745592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonewhohums/pseuds/theonewhohums
Summary: Soul is not equipped to handle Maka's jetlagged thoughts.





	

"I can't sleep," Maka whispers into the darkness of their shared room.

"No shit," Soul mutters irritably. It's fuck o' clock but their bodies are telling them it's three in the afternoon. Jet lag sucks ass and Maka's tossing and turning isn't helping.

"Did you bring your iPod with you? We could listen to music or something."

"Dead. Left my charger on my dresser in the rush to make our flight."

She sighs unhappily in the bed next to his. Neither of them packed anything to entertain themselves in the night, and the motel that they're staying at only has cable in another language. Soul just wants to sleep, but he's stuck staring at the ceiling of the cheap room they're in and wondering if counting sheep is a viable way to get drowsy.

Maka continues to squirm and Soul's about ready to snap at her to _pick a position_ when she speaks up.

"You ever wonder what marriage is gonna be like?"

" _What?_ "

"I was just thinking. We're kinda married right? I mean, we live together and know a ton about each other and basically spend all our time together. Do you think real marriage will be like that?"

This is new, even for her. Soul is aware that his meister tends to get weirdly existential at night, but in their minds it's daytime, so he's wondering what spurred this on.

I mean, it's not that he's never contemplated this before. He and Maka have been partners for four years. They know each other inside and out and even their souls are connected, for God's sake. They are pretty married.

Well, almost.

"Marriage probably involves a lot more sex."

Did he really just say that _out loud_? What the fuck? Maybe his not-tiredness is starting to get to him too. Because there is no way that Soul would ever consciously admit to wanting to have sex with Maka _to her face_. Even if indirectly.

She only snorts, and he can't tell if that's an insult or not.

"Yeah, you're right about that."

He doesn't know how to respond to that, so he assumes the conversation is over. Maka is weird and he needs to stop talking before he ends up admitting something he doesn't want to.

"It's gonna be weird. Being married to other people one day."

Why is she still talking? How the fuck is he supposed to respond to this stuff? He can't tell if this is supposed to be idle chatter or if she's baiting him. Half of him wants her to be baiting him, trying to get him to admit how head over heals he is for her and that he doesn't ever want her to marry anyone else. He's the only one who ever wants to share these one a.m. conversations with her, even if their stupid and awkward and make him want to bury his face in his musty pillow and scream. It's a better alternative to her actually considering marrying another guy someday.

"Since when did you become so open to the idea of marriage? I thought your mom and dad botched the whole institution of it for you."

Shit, did he just cross a line? He knows they're close enough to discuss her parents' failed relationship, they have before, but the way he said it felt insensitive.

She doesn't seem to mind, though.

"Well, yeah, when I was twelve. My parents were the only role models I had. I figured if they couldn't make it work, what chance did I have?" Soul steals a glance from the corner of his eye to try and see her expression, but she's laying down on her back as well, staring at the ceiling with her hands folded on her torso. "But things changed after meeting you. I've been partnered with you for four years now, so I think I've learned enough about trust on my own to know that it's real."

Soul's hands clam up when she mentions him. This would be a great opportunity to tell her how he feels, if he were brave enough. That she taught him things too: confidence, self-worth, how to believe in others, how to care about something other than yourself and your own disgusting self-pity. Maybe even how to love. He would tell her all these things, but the cool guy in him is an idiot that keeps him quiet.

"And that means you wanna get married?"

"Someday, I think," she answers with a yawn. "If the right person comes along."

Soul bites the inside of his cheek hard enough to sting. Her breathing is starting to even out and now she's going to fall asleep before he even figures out why she started this conversation to begin with. He wants to ask her, wants to spill his guts to her, wants to say _something._ It's one a.m. and they're thousands of miles from home talking about marriage, and Soul's insides feel like a yo-yo when he quietly says "Maybe you've already met him."

Maka doesn't respond, shockingly enough. Maybe she's asleep already, or maybe she's awake but pretending to be asleep to avoid responding. It's the bravest thing he's ever said without her there to aid him, so it only makes sense that it would be falling on deaf ears. He rolls away from her and mashes his face into his pillow. He can't scream without waking her up or alerting her of what an even bigger moron he is. So he breathes the pillow into his face, completely content with smothering himself into embarrassed unconsciousness when he hears her whisper back.

"Maybe I have."

**Author's Note:**

> (Originally published 2/26/15)


End file.
